Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/929510

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Title
Pathways to care and community-based service contact patterns among clients with a dual diagnosis
Author/Creator
Conrad, Agatha M.;  Lewin, Terry J.;  Carr, Vaughan J.;  Baker, Amanda;  Terry, Margarett A.;  Taylor, Andrew
Institution
The University of Newcastle. Faculty of Science & Information Technology, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Description
Background: Little is known about typical service contact profiles and associated factors among clients with co-occuring mental health and substance use problems. Aim: Findings are reported from a 12-month audit of clients presenting to regional (NSW, Australia) adult community mental health and drug and alchohol services. Method: Raw data for this service evaluation project were extracted from an electronic clinical information database, comprising 61,062 community-based service contacts by 3344 clients (average age, 38.7 years; 49.8% male). Results: Several broad care pathways were identified. Substance use problems were experienced by 25.1%, with higher rates among males and younger clients. This group accounted for 35.4% of annual community-based server contacts, with substantially higher rates among clients with opiate dependence (133 contacts per client) and those with comoroid psychosis (44 per client), compared to the typical dual diagnosis client (18 per client). Clients actively engaged with a specialised dual diagnosis service had half the rate of service contacts (9 per client), reflecting a mixture of client characteristics, group-based treatment programmes, and enhanced engagement strategies. Conclusions: Comorbidity and service contact profiles are highly variable across treatment settings, reinforcing the value routine of audits for identifying typical care pathways and targeting shared interventions.
Relation
Mental Health and Substance Use Vol. 3, Issue 1, p. 10-24
Publisher Link
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17523280903523488
Date
2010
Publisher
Routledge
Keyword(s)
care pathways;  client characteristics;  comorbidity;  service audit;  substance use problems
Resource Type
journal article
Identifier
http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/929510
Identifier
ISSN:1752-3281
Reviewed
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Subject
"Mental Health and Substance Use"
 
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